A simple algorithm for fanout optimization using high-performance buffer libraries

We present an algorithm for computing minimal-area fanout networks satisfying a delay constraint. We focus on one type of fanout network structure, the fanout chain. We show that, when using libraries designed for high-speed custom CMOS chips, the fanout chain typically produces minimal-area fanout networks for a given delay constraint. We then present fast, near-optimal algorithms to compute these fanout structures.